Kyoto is struggling with overtourism. (iStock)

Foreign Tourists in Kyoto, Please, Mind Your Manners

In the era where the overtourism phenomenon is becoming a complicated problem, traveling can be an unpleasant thing not only for travelers but also for the locals.

Kyoto is one of the tourist spots in Japan that is at risk of facing overtourism because tourists come in huge numbers every year. In Gion district, Kyoto’s famous Geisha district, a residents’ council has come together to improve the relations between locals and foreign tourists by distributing small goodie bags that read “Gion is a nice place. Thank you for minding your manners” in three languages—Japanese, English, and Chinese. This is intended to make travelers become a little bit more aware of what is appropriate when discovering Japan.

In the past few years, local residents have complained that they feel disturbed by overseas tourists intruding into restaurants and privates home, throwing food and cigarette butts onto the street, and taking photographs of geiko and maiko invasively.

To help residents addressing this problem, the police and city government have installed security cameras and employed security guards. Police cars also patrol and broadcast reminders in multiple languages to call out for tourists to respect the area.

The government is also aiming to dilute tourist concentrations by carrying out a tourism campaign to promote another six locations in Kyoto, including Fushimi, Ohara, and Takao.

Source: https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20190601/p2a/00m/0fe/014000c